So yesterday afternoon, the operations guy from BCPSS called me to let me know that the bus would be switched immediately. Another company – not Durham – would be transporting the Monster effective immediately, with bus run times that were far shorter – 30 minutes in the morning, and 35 in the afternoon.
Except by 4:45, the Monster had still not materialized. Continue reading
This has been a really bad winter, weather-wise.
Granted, we live far enough into the “South” that folks around here don’t seem to have a grasp on how to handle winter weather. Snow sends folks into a tizzy – even the threat of it is enough to send folks to loot the local supermarket. Continue reading
So while I’m harping on the school issue…
As you all know, I’m not thrilled with the school that’s the host to the program that my Monster attends – GHEMS is one of the lowest rated elementary schools, performance-wise, in the entire Baltimore City public school system. This is contrasted with the school the Monster is actually zoned for, which is one of the best schools in the city.
This doesn’t mean that the staff at his school isn’t doing their best or isn’t interested in his success. Continue reading
Yesterday evening, while I was driving to the curling club, my phone started to hum with incoming messages. The transportation head had finally deigned to respond to me, saying he’d get back in touch with me by noon. The CEO of BCPSS followed by telling him to contact me sooner, and he asked if he could call me at 9.
Now… I don’t like dealing with these kinds of things over the phone. I prefer to have a written trail to document what was discussed… but I also know well enough that it would drag the process out, so I agreed.
So at 8:45 this morning, the head of transportation called me at the office. Continue reading
So it’s now nearly two days since the late bus… and nothing.
As a few of my readers of my tweet feed have suggested, I should go full-bore and start causing more trouble to get a response – any response – from the school system. The problem, really, is the other item that was in the news… and frankly, that’s going to have everyone’s attention here for a few more days.
The fact is also that I shouldn’t have to go this far to get a response for my son. The city should already be aware that the bus was late, they should have already responded or have a response ready, and they should have an apology for the trouble that it caused. Continue reading
For those who follow my Twitter feed (@DadEnoughBlog), you’ve been watching while I rant and rave again. (Which is why I’m doing a rare Saturday post on the blog.)
Yesterday afternoon, my phone started buzzing on my hip around quarter of five at the office. I don’t have a texting plan, and almost no one texts me, but the fact that it was doing something said that my wife was trying to get my attention.
The Monster’s bus was late again. Continue reading
Sorry for being quiet for the last day or so – reality caught up with me.
Besides being stranded in the house for two days, everything just seemed to pile up at once – work, home and even school reared its ugly head. It just served to remind me that while all parents seem to always be busy, we get it worse with everything else on our plates. Continue reading
We’re into the fifth day of our ‘long’ weekend at this point, once you consider the snow storm that hit us yesterday and kept us at home.
Yesterday, with the snow coming down, the Monster started insisting that he wanted to go outside and play. I said no immediately due to the fact that it was windy and still snowing, but I’d mentioned that I’d be more amenable today, weather permitting. As I also mentioned, we’re out of things for him to be doing inside, save for perhaps his project due on Monday. Continue reading
Schools were cancelled here today due to the predicted weather and for once, the weather predictions panned out. I would not have wanted the Monster to have gone to school in this weather… and I wouldn’t have wanted to have had to go get him if they’d closed early.
There is, however, a different problem – a lack of other things to do. Continue reading
Last week, the Monster’s folder appeared from school with a form to be filled out regarding a book report.
As part of Common Core, the curriculum is changing to include a weekly book report of a sort, testing his ability to identify various things in a book. Continue reading